The present invention generally relates to laser drilling and laser milling, and particularly relates to automated control of a laser drilling system using an end-product template defining a desired workpiece geometry and adapting the template to various combinations of workpiece material and laser characteristics.
Material ablation by pulsed light sources has been studied since the invention of the laser. Reports in 1982 of polymers having been etched by ultraviolet (UV) excimer laser radiation stimulated widespread investigations of the process for micromachining. Since then, scientific and industrial research in this field has proliferatedxe2x80x94mostly spurred by the remarkably small features that can be drilled, milled, and replicated through the use of lasers.
Ultrafast lasers generate intense laser pulses with durations from roughly 10xe2x88x9211 seconds (10 picoseconds) to 10xe2x88x9214 seconds (10 femtoseconds). Short pulse lasers generate intense laser pulses with durations from roughly 10xe2x88x9210 seconds (100 picoseconds) to 10xe2x88x9211 seconds (10 picoseconds). A wide variety of potential applications for ultrafast and short pulse lasers in medicine, chemistry, and communications are being developed and implemented. These lasers are also a useful tool for milling or drilling holes in a wide range of materials. Hole sizes as small as a few microns, even sub-microns, can readily be drilled. High aspect ratio holes can be drilled in hard materials, such as cooling channels in turbine blades, nozzles in ink-jet printers, or via holes in printed circuit boards.
Advanced laser drilling systems contain elements that maneuver the laser beam(s) and/or the workpiece(s) in a pattern such that the laser beam ablates the workpiece according to pre-determined geometry requirements. Computers can be programmed to rapidly perform the calculations required to guide precision drilling of a variety of shapes. Once these calculations are made for a given geometry, they can be executed in a repeatable manner for many workpieces. The coordinates calculated by laser milling algorithms are subsequently communicated to the elements of the laser drilling system to create the pre-determined geometry in the workpiece. Manually selecting laser drilling system parameters and making changes to those settings can be complex, and laser physicists are usually directly responsible for these activities.
Several problems arise that are associated with computer automated control of a laser drilling system. A first problem associated with computer automated control of a laser drilling system relates to providing a more marketable laser drilling system. Current laser drilling systems do not have an intuitive approach to select workpiece geometry, laser type, or workpiece material as required in a manufacturing environment. Having a way to streamline parameter input would increase the appeal, utility, and sales of laser drilling systems. What is needed is a way to provide a more marketable laser drilling system.
A second problem associated with computer automated control of a laser drilling system relates to decreasing the operating costs of a laser drilling system. Laser drilling systems utilize many complex elements and concepts to perform a specific task. Highly skilled laser physicists are often required to operate the laser drilling system because they understand the technical details of operating the laser drilling system, its elements, and the necessary input parameters. Employing high-salaried laser physicists that understand the technical details of the laser drilling system adds considerably to the operating costs of the laser drilling system. What is needed is a way to decrease the operating costs of a laser drilling system.
A third problem associated with computer automated control of a laser drilling system relates to facilitating the operation of a laser drilling system to create pre-determined geometries in mass manufacturing. Laser drilling systems can utilize a laser drilling system to create any number of complex shapes. In a mass-manufacturing environment, changes to the workpiece geometries necessary to create such complex shapes must be made quickly at the operator level. What is needed is a way to facilitate the operation of a laser drilling system to create pre-determined geometries in mass manufacturing.
According to the present invention, a computer interface system for automated control of a laser drilling system has workpiece geometry template data defining a shape formed in a laser-milled workpiece. A user interface is receptive of a user selection characterizing a desired laser drilling operation. An expert system is adapted to receive the template data and the user selection, and is operable to adapt the template data to the user selection.
Several differences exist between previous technology and the present invention. A first difference between the present invention and previous technology is that the present invention integrates together the material properties of the substrate to be drilled, hole geometry definition, drilling procedure control, and a laser drilling process. A second difference between the present invention and previous technology is that the present invention implements the combination of laser milling algorithms with a computer to drill specified workpiece geometry in a workpiece. A third difference between the present invention and previous technology is that the present invention provides a user-friendly interface to operate a laser drilling system, whereas previous technology does not. A fourth difference between the present invention and previous technology is that the present invention is that the present invention provides a simplified way to change workpiece geometry without requiring an operator""s knowledge of laser drilling systems and laser-material interaction.
The present invention has several advantages over previous laser drilling systems. A first advantage of the present invention is that it provides a more marketable laser drilling system. A second advantage of the present invention is that it provides a way to decrease the operating costs of a laser drilling system. A third advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates the operation of a laser drilling system to create pre-determined geometries in mass manufacturing. A fourth advantage of the present invention is that it enables a layperson to operate a laser drilling system. A fifth advantage of the present invention is that it allows for expandability of parameters and a nearly infinite number of combinations of workpiece materials, workpiece geometry, and laser characteristics.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.